Trauma and chronic stress—whether emotional, physical, or psychological—have long been recognized as key contributors to a variety of health conditions. One area often overlooked, however, is the pelvic floor. Many people are surprised to learn that stress can significantly impact pelvic health, especially when left unresolved over time.‍ Whether you’re dealing with digestive irregularities, urinary urgency, pain with sitting, or unexplained pelvic discomfort, understanding how the nervous system, diaphragm, and pelvic floor work together is essential.

As an orthopedic and pelvic health physical therapist, I often get asked: “Why does my shoulder have anything to do with my pelvic floor?” The short answer is that everything is connected, especially when it comes to postural support, breath mechanics, and core stability. And one often-overlooked muscle that plays a pivotal role in this full-body connection is the serratus anterior.

If you’ve ever worked with a physical therapist for back pain, hip issues, or even stress incontinence, you’ve probably heard us talk about your core. But as someone who works at the intersection of orthopedics and pelvic health, I want to zoom in on two (often-overlooked but absolutely vital) players in your core system: the diaphragm and the pelvic floor. These two structures live at opposite ends of your torso, but they function as a team.

When most people hear "pelvic floor," they often think Kegels. And when they hear “core,” they picture six-pack abs. But as a pelvic health physical therapist, I can tell you it’s way deeper than that, literally and figuratively.‍ One of the most common things I hear from clients is: “I had no idea the pelvic floor was part of my core.” And honestly, I get it. Most of us grew up doing crunches in gym class, not learning how to breathe or engage our pelvic floor. But let’s change that.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist, many of my clients are female. But I have specialized training to help males too! Equipped with the most advanced tools and techniques in the industry, like Visceral Manipulation, Low Pressure Fitness, and the Redcord suspension system, I can help you overcome pain and pelvic floor dysfunction, regardless of your gender.

Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA), also commonly known as abdominal separation, is a condition in which the connective tissue (linea alba) between the right and left side of the rectus abdominis (six-pack muscle) is widened. It typically occurs during pregnancy, when natural separation must occur to accommodate the growth of the uterus and fetus. This separation affects up to 70% of postpartum females.

Visceral manipulation is a gentle type of manual therapy treatment focused on the organs and associated connective tissue. As a pelvic health physical therapist, I use it often to treat a wide variety of conditions across all ages and genders. Some common conditions that Visceral Manipulation helps includes: musculoskeletal problems like lower back pain, sciatica, and neck pain...

If you suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction, Low Pressure Fitness (LPF) may be the answer to your problem. LPF is a holistic movement system that combines breathing, posture, and low-impact exercises to improve core strength and pelvic health. The practice uses "hypopressive" breath techniques, which involve controlled breathing phases that create a suctioning effect, activating deep core muscles and the pelvic floor.

Whether you consider yourself an expert on the pelvic floor or you are just exploring what the heck goes on “down there,” it never hurts to have a better understanding of the essential functions of the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is more than a complex network of ligaments, muscles, and connective tissue (fascia). This dome-shaped structure has five extremely important “S” functions.

As a pelvic health physical therapist at Activcore in New Jersey, I find myself talking about the pelvis all day long. After all, people are excited to learn about this fast growing area of physical therapy practice. And they have many, many questions! So here are some of the most common I get asked...